Tour A Historic Savannah Row House On Beautiful Monterey Square

The exterior of this wonderful historic row house in Savannah reminded me a little of Carrie’s apartment in Sex and the City.

I think it’s the steps that had me thinking of Sex and the City, well that and the door. But wait until you see the inside!

So elegant and beautiful!

Just look at that newel post! I love a beautiful newel post. I was once told on a home tour that back in the day when your home was paid for and mortgage free, you would cut off the top of the newel post, place the deed inside the hollow post, then top off the post with a really fancy finial or topper, something sparkly and eye-catching. That way, when someone visited your home, they could see that it was paid for and mortgage free.

I Googled this today and read about a tradition where some folks had an ivory button inlaid into the center of the top of the newel post when the mortgage was paid. It was referred to as the mortgage button or brag button. That would be a nice reminder to see each day coming down the stairs, wouldn’t it?

Whenever I go on old home tours, I always look to see if the top of the newel post has been replaced with something ornate. I’ll have to start looking for a mortgage button, too. 😉

Let’s take a moment and drool over the chandeliers, shall we? Seriously, look at those three stunning chandeliers, all in a row! This must be gorgeous to see in person, standing at one end and looking down through the rooms.

Remember the chest on chest we saw last week at A Classy Flea? I noticed they are using one in the adjoining parlor. They are such versatile pieces, can be used in any room! I just love them!

This home has a beautifully updated kitchen with an eat-in bar.

I never though about decorating the bar area with a runner; looks really cute! Love the bar chairs…super comfy looking!

The glass front cabinetry is so pretty with the butcher block counter. Great storage for displaying dishes.

The formal dining room is sporting another seriously gorgeous chandelier!

At first I thought this was a Butler’s Pantry with lots of room for storing wine. After a closer look, it appears to be mainly a wine cellar or wine storage area. I’ve never seen one quite like this, lots of attractive storage in a small area.

I noticed this house is listed for sale. I wonder if all these gorgeous chandeliers will be staying. I’ve never seen so many beautiful ones in one home! Never!

Love all the windows in this beautiful bedroom!

The bathroom is as elegant as the bedroom…very pretty!

Did you notice the small settee at the end of the bed in the first bedroom we toured? We see one again here. These are great for a place to sit while putting on shoes and such. Gorgeous highboy on the right!

When I’m walking around Savannah, I always wonder what’s behind the high walls. Now we know! What a lovely garden…feels like something right out of The Secret Garden doesn’t it?

If I lived in Savannah, I would love to live across from one of the beautiful squares. Wish we still built our cities this way, our subdivisions, too. Wouldn’t that be amazing to have lovely parks everywhere!

I couldn’t include all the pictures I found of this wonderful home in this post, there were just too many. You’ll find all the others here: Celia Dunn, Sotheby International Realty.

Remember the movie, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil starring Kevin Spacey? It was filmed in Mercer House house which is also located across from Monterey Square. You can tour antique-filled Mercer House in this previous post: Tour Mercer House From the Movie, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. You can also tour it in person anytime you’re in Savannah!

Love the beautiful old homes in Savannah? Check out this book I featured a while back: Savannah Style

Thanks, Marlene! I have two chandeliers (dining room and bedroom) and I clean them myself usually once or twice a year. It only takes me about 15 minutes per chandelier using a very soft cloth. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone but I use one of my son’s old cloth diapers.) I just gently wipe off each of the crystals with the cloth. If one is especially dirty for some reason, I’ll dampen the cloth just a little. That’s all it takes.
Despite what you read, you NEVER want to use any of those sprays you see advertised for cleaning chandeliers. The owner of a local lamp shop who specializes in cleaning and repairing antique chandeliers and lamps told me when you see a beautiful old chandelier with gunky, dark looking stuff all down inside the arms, it’s usually because someone has sprayed something on it. It gets down inside the arms and collects. Then you have to pay someone like him to take it all apart and clean it out which is very time consuming.
I actually love cleaning mine because I enjoy seeing it and touching it. It’s just part of the joy of owning one and since it only takes about 15 minutes, I don’t mind it. The enjoyment I get out of it every day makes it totally worth 15 minutes of cleaning twice a year. So don’t be afraid to buy one if one steals your heart some day. 🙂

My husband grew up in Savannah back before all the homes were restored in the 60s and 70s. Savannah looks quite different to him now. I love that house and while everything is beautiful, all those pretty oriental rugs caught my eye. I love the downtown area but not sure I would want to live there due to all the tourist traffic and the crime downtown. That is something that is never mentioned by the Tourism board. 🙂 If I could live in any area, I would choose Ardsley Park. Of course, there is crime there too but the area is not as busy as downtown. And a beach house at Tybee would be nice too!! A girl can dream!!

I live in Savannah and I never get tired of driving through the historic district and looking at these beautiful homes. I always wonder what they look like inside. Thanks for a peek into this gorgeous house.

OK, I am moving in with [email protected] when she gets that home in Ardsley Park and the beach home on Tybee!!!!! But this home is absolutely beautiful. I know that wallpaper is not everyone’s cup of tea but I love all of the wallpaper in this house. It is really lovely. And I love the beautiful oriental rugs, especially in the kitchen. It really warms up the kitchen area. I could live here……no problem!!!!!

The house SJP and Matthew Broderick just recently sold in NYC is so similar. I love how she stays true to NYC.
I would love to visit Savannah but I hate humidity. And I know it’s worse further down south than here in Virginia.

Savannah!! The very name says South and history. How I would love to visit.
Beautiful house and nice walled garden. As for the newel post, for nosey people who checked out whether you had paid your mortgage or not, I would leave the top off, so they could make a donation!! 🙂
Loved all the windows and large rooms and yes, the chandeliers too.

Be still my heart. Now this is what I call a home. I might change a little wallpaper but I would take the furniture and the house in a heartbeat. It is so nice to see good traditional decorating. I know we colonial folk are no longer “in style” but I am so sick of “updated” Pottery Barnesque decor – everything either neutral or garish colors, everything the same, no traces of individuality. Ah – deep breath. Sermon over – sorry.

Savannah is one of my favorite towns. This home is so beautiful. The furniture is just my style. I love those parlors and would be happy to have just one let alone two. I gasped when I saw the first kitchen picture. See the wooden piece above the range hood – the carving with the rooster in the middle? I have that in my kitchen…I’m so excited…maybe I do have style after all, ha, ha, ha. Oh, and I love old metal painted trays. I spotted two of them in the kitchen. I’m not a fan of the foyer wallpaper but the paper in the bedroom with the bed with the fishnet canopy is divine. Matching drapery and wallpaper is so pretty to me. Thanks for this amazing “eye candy.” Vikki in VA.

Yes, you do have style! 🙂 I love those old tole trays, too. The old ones in good condition have really gone up in price over the years. Affordable ones can be hard to find in antique shops now. The wallpaper is so pretty in that room, I love it, too!

I so love this house, it is so beautiful. I love wandering around Savannah and Charleston dreaming about what these houses may look like inside, too. I love the little story about the newel posts, I have never heard that and I will certainly look for those fancy ones in the future, too. The kitchen is beautiful, and I, too, have never thought of using a runner on a bar. I will be keeping my eye out for some interesting ones for that use! Hugs! Chloe

This is one beautiful home…..well loved and cared for… It speaks generations of wealth and what personality!!! No all white, pasty interiors with no character or depth. I could move right in………now girls, my eye has been on all the gorgeous and antique RUGS !!!!

I love this home. My sister teases me that I haven’t embraced any furniture style since Thomas Jefferson was president. Considering how perfect his tearoom at Monticello is, I regard that as a compliment. It is almost impossible to find traditional furniture today except for the extravagantly expensive reproduction market.

Love seeing a beautiful traditional home, and those chandeliers! So hoping editors will give us “Colonial Homes” lovers even a little space in today’s home decorating magazines…seems unfair when so many love the tried and true classics, that have been in favor for hundreds of years, while fad styles come and go. Keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for sharing all the lovely homes you do, Susan. We travel quite a lot in the warmer months so I haven’t commented much of late, but I always read your posts ( a wonderful part of my day), and want you to know that your spring table setting was so sweet. The green and white flatware is just too cute! You always know how to jazz up any tablescape.

Exquisite! I, too, love the wallpaper, and although I’m not really one to live with formal decor, this traditional design is just too perfect to find fault with! When I win the lottery, I’m there! LOL! Thanks for sharing, Susan!